MO ARA urges letter-writing campaign to sustain Gov.’s veto of RTW

By TIM ROWDEN

Editor

Hazelwood, MO – Focusing on right-to-work and the need for union members – and all Missourians, working and retired – to contact their legislators ahead of the Sept. 16 veto override session, in which lawmakers will decide whether to uphold Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of this wrong-headed anti-worker legislation, the Missouri Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA) hosted a Town Hall and barbecue here last week at IAM Lodge 837.

“You should be getting together writing letters and contacting your representatives and senators,” Missouri ARA President Dave Meinell told the assembled crowd.

“We have to make sure we contact our representatives asking them to sustain Gov. Nixon’s veto.

“If we don’t sustain his veto, we’re going to be stuck with right-to-work,” Meinell said. “And it’s going to affect everybody. Right-to-work will affect every man, woman and child in the state of Missouri. You must write those letters to your senators and representatives.”

THE OPPOSITION

Rightwing proponents of right-to-work are already hard at work, sending false and misleading mailers to voters and putting pressure on worker-friendly Republicans to muster enough support in the Republican-led Legislature to override the Governor’s veto.

The Senate passed HB 116 by a vote of 21-13. It passed by 92-66 in the House. To override the Governor’s veto, the Republican-controlled Legislature would need 23 votes in the Senate and 109 in the House.

TAKE ACTION

Everyone attending the meeting was asked to write a letter to their state representative asking that they uphold Gov. Nixon’s veto of HB 116 (the right-to-work bill) and to encourage their friends, neighbors and family members to do the same.

The letters should be polite, but to the point. Tell them what RTW would mean to your job, your paycheck and your family, and ask them to vote “No” on a veto override.

Letters should include your name, address, zip code and signature.

Your future, and the future of your children, and your children’s children is at stake.

Call and write your senator and representative today.

If you don’t know who your legislators are, you can find out by visiting www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx to find your representative or www.senate.mo.gov/15info/senateroster.htm to find your senator.

NEED MORE HELP?

If you need more help, or want to know how you can take action in your neighborhood or legislative district, contact the Missouri AFL-CIO by texting MISSOURI to 235246.